BY MELISSA SOMERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM OF SOCAL
“A fresh start is not a new place, it’s a mindset.”
— C.H. Rahul Madal
THE ONSET OF spring conjures images of sunshine and bright flowers, and it often ignites feelings of anticipation for new beginnings, all of which are welcome after the dreariness of winter.
While winters in Southern California are very mild compared to the freezing temperatures and snowfall many other places experience, the accumulative impact of winter months can still be felt. And nothing shakes off the winter blahs quite like launching into a fresh start. Spring is a great time to freshen up your inventory and security protocols to protect and prepare your inventory for the uptick in work that is sure to come with the rising temperatures and sunny weather.
Law enforcement agrees that with any change in weather conditions comes an uptick in crime. We’ve seen an increase in crime over the past few years, and crooks are on the lookout to capitalize on any opportunities you present to them to test your procedures. There’s also an increase in work as the temperatures rise, so there’s no better time than the present to spring into action and give your prevention practices a fresh perspective.
ISOLATE YOUR INVENTORY
Very few companies intentionally leave gaps in their inventory management. The fact of the matter is that until you either have access to a different perspective or suffer a loss, any shortfalls that might exist often remain undiscovered.
You can do a bit of thinking in reverse by imagining the uncomfortable situation of an item in your inventory being stolen. Does your inventory have all the information necessary to file a worthwhile police report? Do you know exactly what information is best to have on hand for a good report? Do the people who would be responsible for filing said report know how and where to find the information? Engaging with a company like the Crime Prevention Program of SoCal (CPP) is a great way to expose any vulnerabilities in your established system and to learn which details are the best to share when filing a report to ensure you have the highest potential for a recovery.
SPRING IS A GREAT TIME TO FRESHEN UP YOUR INVENTORY AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS TO PROTECT AND PREPARE YOUR INVENTORY FOR THE UPTICK IN WORK THAT IS SURE TO COME WITH THE RISING TEMPERATURES AND SUNNY WEATHER.
TROUBLESOME TECHNOLOGY
Technology is a fantastic tool with a variety of uses that go beyond simply knowing where your equipment should be. If you’ve invested in any kind of telematics or GPS system, don’t assume that you’re totally set. There are a staggering number of ways that telematics can help make equipment management more efficient and secure, but knowing how to make the most of your investment goes beyond signing on the dotted line.
To make hardware or software work the way you expect when you need it most, it’s crucial to know exactly how your chosen platform works, how to access its information, and when updates or maintenance are required. Your investment in GPS can easily fall flat if maintenance is missed, capabilities are misunderstood, or the information isn’t available when and how you need it to be.
It’s also Important to regularly assess your needs when additions are made to your fleet, when you experience changes in workload and as technology evolves. What has worked in the past may no longer suit your needs, and what you needed from your telematics may change drastically based on a new job or work requirements. It’s always a good idea to employ methods that help remind us that technology is a tool and not a crutch.
SECURING YOUR SITE
The winter months can bring rain, lower temperatures and wind, which can easily cause increased wear and tear on your yard security. Do your best to walk your yard, viewing it from an outsider’s perspective. Take some time to walk your fence line and check for any access points, holes or other compromises caused by Mother Nature. Also look for signs of attempts to access and for regular wear and tear. If desired, CPP members can request a free site-security walk.
In addition, check that security cameras are clean, functional and capturing the information that you intend. Simply having an image of a vehicle or individual is rarely enough to identify a suspect, and changing a camera’s angle might be all that’s needed to capture a license plate and, hopefully, a perpetrator.
The same mentality that drives you to perform regular tuneups on your vehicles should be applied to your prevention and security protocols. Springtime, due to the subsequent change in weather, offers the perfect opportunity for a fresh start and allows time for newly implemented procedures to take hold before your workload takes off. So take a deep breath, stop to smell some flowers, and embrace the season and its opportunities for tightening your procedures. Because, after all, nothing says fresh start like feeling prepared.
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